Type and Coat Standard:

(Commercial body type.  To be posed and evaluated with front paws lined up with eyes, rear paws lined up with knees, and elbows on the table)

Body - 60 Points(Hindquarters, Midsection, Shoulders, Head & Ears, Feet & Legs) - "The ideal type should create an impression of balance and uniformity in the mind.  The animal must exemplify meat producing qualities.  It is to have well rounded hips, well filled loin, and ribs carrying forward to combine with shoulders that balance with the rest of the body.  The shoulders should blend smoothly into the midsection, and the midsection should blend smoothly into the hindquarters.  The body should be of medium length, with good depth.  When viewed from the side, the top body-line should start immediately at the base of the ears and rise in a continuous curve to the high point over the center of the hips and then fall in a smooth curve downward to the base of the tail.  When viewed from above, the sides should taper slightly from hindquarters toward the shoulders.  A small dewlap is permitted on does.

     Faults - A late start in the top line."

Hindquarters - "Points 20: The hindquarters are to be broad, smooth, well filled with firm flesh, and with the lower sides of the hips well developed.  Depth should equal width, consistent with a well rounded top."

Midsection - "Points 18: The midsection is to be broad, firm, meaty, and carry as much flesh as possible on both sides of the spine.  The side appearance should be of good depth and conform with the width of body.  The belly should be firm and free from potty appearance."

Shoulders - "Points 17: The shoulders are to be well developed, with good depth and width.

     Faults - Narrow, flat or low shoulders; swayback or mandolin type; long, narrow body or extremely short coupled body; chopped off hindquarters; hips undercut;       protruding hips; rough spine; loose, flabby skin; excessively fat over shoulders."

Head & Ears - "Points 5: The head is to be full, with well filled face and jaws, presenting a slight curvature between the eyes and nose.  The size of the head should balance and conform with the body and be more massive in bucks than does.  It should be set closely on the shoulders, with the neck as short as possible.  Ears are to be medium thick, well shaped, in proportion to head and body, and with well rounded tips.  They should be well set on the head, with a good heavy ear base, and carried erect.

     Faults - Long, narrow head; extreme curvature between eyes and nose; pinched muzzle; long, thin, or pointed ears; spread ear carriage."

Feet & Legs - "Points 0: Bone is to be straight, medium heavy, and medium length.  Hind legs and feet are to be full, firm, and stout.  All toenails on Red and Black varieties are to be uniform and as dark as possible.

     Faults - Thin foot pads.

     Disqualification from Competition - Extremely fine bone."

Fur - "Points 15: (Flyback) To conform to the ARBA Commercial Normal Fur Standard." *See Fur Standard below*

Color - "15 Points" - Per individual color description.

Black - "Color is to be a uniform, jet black throughout.  Undercolor is to be dark slate blue.  Eyes - Dark brown.

     Faults - Stray white hairs; brownish cast.

     Disqualifications - Patch(es) of excessive white hair; very conspicuous stray white hairs; excessive brownish cast; white shadow bars on front or hind feet."

Blue - "Color should be a uniform deep, rich blue extending down the hair shaft to a slate blue undercolor.  The entire animal should have even coloring throughout.  Toenail color is to be dark.  Eyes - Blue-Gray.

     Faults - Brownish cast; Mealiness; ticking.

     Disqualifications - Excessive ticking."

Broken Group - "For the Broken Group, the points allotted are to be divided equally between color and markings.  Brokens are to include any recognized variety of the breed, or variety within a group, in conjunction with white.  Colored sections on Brokens are to match the standard for the colored variety.

     Color and Pattern - Brokens are to have both ears colored, with color around the eyes, and on the nose. (No preference given for a full butterfly over an evenly balanced nose marking.)  The body pattern may be spotted, with individual colored spots or patches over the back, sides, and hips: or a blanket pattern with color starting at or near the neck, and continuing over the back, sides, and hips.  The preference is for an evenly balanced pattern. Toenails may be white, colored, or any combination of the two.  Eyes - Color to correspond with the eye color specified under the respective solid colored variety.

     Faults - Unbalanced nose marking; excessive white in the ears; unbalanced body markings; uneven color.  Color, in the judge's opinion, which is more than 50 percent.

     Disqualifications - Absence of color on the nose, around the eyes, on ears, or for a rabbit so heavy in pattern as to resemble a botted, or so light in pattern as to resemble a Charlie.  Eye color other than called for. Excessive scattered white hairs in colored section.  No disqualification for a white spot in the colored section."

Red - "Color is to be a bright reddish sorrel, but not so dark as to reach a mahogany red.  Color shall carry as deep down the hair shaft as possible.  The belly color should approximate the top color.  White on the underside of the tail, or on front and rear feet pads is permitted. Eyes - Brown.

     Faults - Light or dark ticking, when sufficient to produce a frosty or smudgy effect; white hairs in pelt; large, white eye circles.

     Disqualifications - A general or marked departure from the standard color, to the extent of being mahogany red or a very pale yellowish shade.  Extremely heavy ear lacing.  White shadow bars on front or hind feet."

White - "Color is to be pure white.  Eyes - Pink.

     Faults - Dirt or hutch stain.

Condition - "Points 10: Per ARBA definition, with special emphasis on firmness of flesh" *See Condition Description below.*

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*ARBA Condition Definition

"Condition: The overall physical state of a rabbit in relation to health, cleanliness, fur, and grooming."

*Commercial Fur Classes 

Flyback - "A coat of fur that quickly returns to its smooth normal position when stroked from the hindquarters to the shoulders.  See ARBA Comercial Normal Fur Standard."

Colored - "All colors except white (color not considered).

White - Usable portion of pelt to be white.

Texture - 35 Points: The coat should have decidedly heavier and thicker guard hairs that offer resistance when stroked toward the head.  The guard hair should be visible down to the skin and extend evenly above the undercoat to form a protective surface for the undercoat.  The undercoat should be uniformly shorter, finer and softer than the guard hair.  The coat should have enough substance to fly back to its natural position and lie smoothly over the entire body when stroked from the tail toward the head.

Density - 35 Points: The coat should be as uniformly dense as possible, showing little or no skin at the base of the pelt on the back and the sides when stroked toward the head.  The fur on the underside of the rabbit, while shorter, should be equally dense.

Balance and Condition - 30 Points: The coat should be balanced in texture, density, length and overall condition.  The guard hair should be uniformly longer than the undercoat on the back and sides with the difference in length not to exceed 1/8".  A dense short coat is preferred over a longer, thinner coat.  Both guard hair and undercoat should be set tightly into the skin. The guard hair should be clean, bright, glossy and alive.

     Faults - Breaks in the coat due to patches of molt or broken guard hair.  A coat that will not return to its natural position when stroked from the tail toward the                  head.  A coat that is too harsh, wiry, fine or silky; or has soft, wooly fur on stomach or crotch.  A coat that is too short or too thin.  A matted or stained coat.

     Disqualification from Competition - Fur resembling wool, Satin or Rex."

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